Are you willing to get admission in Pharmacy at some top institute? If yes, then you have landed in the right place. PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) is one of the most important parts of your application. Therefore, you need a good score to secure your place in some reputed pharmacy college.
The test can be tough, but if you follow effective strategies, you can ace the PCAT exam. Having the right study material should be your priority. PCAT destroyer contains all the relevant topics you must study to get the best possible scores. Scroll down to learn the tips and strategies for successful exam preparation.
1. Learn About The PCAT Exam Pattern
The first step everyone needs to take while preparing for an exam is learning about its pattern. Four subtests are present in the PCAT, and you get about four hours to complete them. These subtests include reading comprehension, quantitative ability, chemistry, and biology. When you know about these subtests, it will help you understand your weaknesses and strengths.
2. Study Smart, Not Hard
There is no way to pass an exam without studying for it. But that doesn’t mean you must spend hours doing that. Many people think that studying for a longer period gets them good marks, but this is not true for everyone. You have to study smartly to clear your PCAT. Even if you study for three hours a day, you can succeed.
When you spend more time on your studies, you tend to cover more subjects and topics, which is a great step. But at the same time, you will get exhausted, and your mind will require a break to recover from that exhaustion.
Try to understand what subjects and topics are important to clear the exam. Stop paying attention to the irrelevant study material available on the internet. Apart from this, it would help to focus on understanding the topics or concepts in depth and not cramming them.
3. Consider Combining The Study Materials
It doesn’t matter if you are taking tuition from a particular institute to prepare for PCAT. The study material they provided won’t be sufficient to get maximum scores on the exam. You must combine all the study materials to get success in PCAT. Spend time researching the best books and practice tests readily available to you.
Numerous free PCAT resources available online provide you with free material for studying. Apart from this, consider joining study groups created by your fellow students. These groups are great for exchanging your course material with other students.
4. Pay Attention To Quality, Not Quantity
You might feel overwhelmed when you come across hundreds of books, courses, and videos. Every book or course claims to be the best, but you must pay attention to quality rather than quantity. Narrow down the list of resources accessible to you for PCAT preparation. Most of the preparation materials have similar topics and content in them. Therefore, it won’t be very useful for you.
Considering talking to the students who took the PCAT exam in the past years. It will help you identify the relevant course material for your preparation. You can also ask them to give you useful tips and strategies that worked well for them.
5. Taking A Diagnostic Test
If you want to check where your preparation is heading, then there is no way better than taking a diagnostic test. It would be beneficial, especially for students taking the PCAT for the first time. After taking the diagnostic test, you will learn about your weak points. You should pay more attention to the subtests in which you get low scores.
For example, if your strength is biology and your weakness is chemistry, you should give yourself more time to study chemistry. But that doesn’t mean you can neglect the subjects you are good at. Consider taking the diagnostic test after the first week of your preparation to understand in which direction you should move.
6. Do Not Neglect Self-Care
Most students forget about self-care while preparing for exams like PCAT. Due to this, they often get stressed or sick. However, it is important to understand that self-care is essential. No one is going to take the exam on your behalf. So, you cannot neglect your health while studying.
Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Doing some exercise regularly would also be beneficial for your health. Apart from this, you should drink enough water and get adequate sleep to relax your brain. All of this is specifically important when your exam date is close. Take good care of your health to master the PCAT subjects properly.
7. Study In Peaceful Environment
When your exam date is close, you need a peaceful environment to focus on your studies. Any distraction while studying will become an obstacle to your preparation. If you have arranged a study timetable, then stick to it. Whether studying for eight hours or two, pay all your attention to your studies.
Put your smartphone on silent mode when you are studying. Nowadays, mobile phones are one of the biggest distractions for students. If you struggle with continuous studies, taking small breaks in between would be helpful for you. It will ensure that your brain gets some relaxation amid the pressure of preparing for the exam.
To Sum Up
Preparing for the PCAT exam can be tough, especially when it is your first time. Many students do not know how to prepare for this test successfully. You need to follow some strategies and tips to get a maximum score on your pharmacy test.
These strategies include learning about the PCAT exam Pattern, studying smartly, paying attention to quality and not quantity, not neglecting self-care, combining the study materials, taking a diagnostic test, and studying in an undistracted environment. Remember taking breaks in between ongoing studies is essential to relax your mind. Check out the above points to understand these tips and strategies in detail.
